Finance, B.S.

Finance is the study of financial markets and institutions, the valuation of financial assets, and the allocation of assets to achieve desired financial goals.   Finance majors help the public or a corporation determine what optimal investments are and how to fund them.  Finance majors may choose a career in Financial Services – a client facing role at a bank, insurance company, stock brokerage or investment company – or in Corporate Finance – within the finance department of a corporation. 

As a Finance major in the John E. Simon School of Business at Maryville, you will combine what is commonly thought of as “traditional finance” with a strong liberal arts education, focusing on technical competence, theory analysis and application, communication skills and cultural awareness. This well-rounded education teaches a love for learning and an ability to ask the critical questions that are key to life-long career success. 

Program Outcomes

A graduate of Maryville University with a major in Finance should be able to:

1. Appropriately apply financial principles, such as the time value of money, modern portfolio theory and risk/reward tradeoffs in corporate and personal financial settings.​
2. Explain the strengths and weaknesses of common and emerging financial instruments for the use of funding at a corporation and as an investment for an individual in order to recommend an optimal balance of risk. ​
3. Compare and contrast the domestic and international financial markets and institutions and evaluate their performance.​
4. Use the language of finance in both oral and written form appropriately and illustrate knowledge of current events in finance, including ethical behaviors in finance.